The University of Connecticut football team continued it’s run in the Big East as they picked up another huge win over the Rutgers Scarlet Knights 38-19 in front of 40,000 chilled fans at Rentschler Field. The win puts the Huskies at 8-1 and are on top of the Big East standings with a 4-0 record in conference play.
The story of this game was the total team effort. UConn got big plays from it’s offense, defense and special teams. While certain guys may have stood out on the stat sheet, it was the play of everyone whose feet touched the turf at Rentschler Field.
Scoring:
1st quarter
- CON – blocked punt out of the end for a safety – UConn 2-0
- CON – Lorenzen 2-yard pass to Brouse – kick failed – UConn 8-0
- RU – Ito 30-yard field goal – UConn 8-3
- CON – Ciaravino 43-yard field goal – UConn 11-3
- CON – Lorenzen 34-yard pass to Jeffers – kick good – UConn 18-3
2nd quarter
- RU – Ito 28-yard field goal – UCONN 18-6
- CON – Branch 97-yard kickoff return – kick good – UConn 25-6
- RU – Rice 4-yard run – kick good – UConn 25-13
- RU – Ito 28-yard field goal – UConn 25-16
3rd quarter
- RU – Ito 27-yard field goal – UConn 25-19
- CON – Brown 33-yard run – kick good – UConn 32-19
4th quarter
- CON – Ciaravino 30-yard field goal – UConn 35-19
- CON – Ciaravino 26-yard field goal – UConn 38-19
Offensive Player of the Game:
Donald Brown – Brown came in for gimpy Andre Dixon and rushed for 154 yards on 24 carries with one touchdown.
Defensive Player of the Game:
Tyvon Branch and Dahna Deleston – Branch and Deleston both had a team high 13 tackles.
Turning Point(s) of the Game:
Branch’s 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown seemed to deflate the Rutgers players and sideline.
Donald Brown being able to give the defense a much needed break with 38 yards rushing on his touchdown scoring drive and then after the defense held Rutgers to field goal attempt that was missed, helped with 26 yards on the ground during a 7-minute drive that led to a Ciaravino field goal.
Offensive Notes:
Lorenzen hits Brouse on a 21-yard pass play in the first quarter.
Lorenzen passes to Jeffers for a 34-yard touchdown pass
Dixon rushes for 17 yards to set up UConn 1st and goal in the first quarter
Lorenzen rushes for 32 yards on a drive that ends on Ciaravino field goal in the first quarter.
UConn’s offense was on the field for a total of 3 plays in the second quarter.
Brown rushes 33 yards for a UConn touchdown.
Lorenzen rushes 22 yards to set up a first and goal at the Rutgers 10.
Brown busts one for 70 yards to set up UConn 1st and goal at the Rutgers 5.
Defensive Notes:
UConn allowed Ray Rice to bust one for 45 yards in the first quarter.
UConn’s defense had a bend but don’t break attitude all night as Ray Rice rushed 116 yards and one touchdown. Mike Teal threw for 343 yards.
UConn’s defense was on the field for almost the entire second quarter.
UConn’s defense allowed the other Rutgers QB Jabu Lovelace to rush for 61 yards. He would basically get the ball from the center and just run.
Cody Brown sacked Teal for a loss but it was nullified by a personal foul on Brown.
Special Teams Notes:
Wide receiver D.J. Hernandez blocks a punt that goes out of the end zone for a safety in the first quarter.
Ciaravino missed another extra point bringing out chants of we want Nuzie.
Tyvon Branch returns a kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown.
Branch ended up with 185 return yards on four kickoffs.
Injuries:
No injuries of significance
Officials:
The officials called a good game and didn’t have any effect on the outcome of the game.
Game Notes:
Representatives from the Sugar Bowl were on hand to watch the Huskies.
Sign seen at the game: Don Imus for Governor.
UConn is now 8-1 on the season. UConn has never been 8-1 in its 109-year long football history.
The Huskies have never had four BIG EAST wins in a season since joining the conference.
Tony Ciaravino’s 19 converted field goals puts him one field goal shy of the school record for most field goals in a season. The school record of 20 was set by Matt Nuzie in 2004.
D.J. Hernandez’s blocked punt in the first quarter was the first blocked punt by UConn since 2002 when Dwaun Black blocked a punt in the last game in Memorial Stadium on November 9 against Kent State.
Tyvon Branch’s 97-yard kickoff return for a touchdown is his second of the season, the first time any Husky has run two back in the same season.
Tyvon Branch’s two kickoff returns for touchdowns this season ties him for the most in BIG EAST history. It has now been done seven times, most recently by Nate Jones of Rutgers in 2002.
Tyvon Branch’s 184 yards on kickoff returns is a school record. It is the sixth most in BIG EAST history.
Big East Games and Results:
Pittsburgh 20 Syracuse 17
Cincinnati 38 South Florida 33
Up Next:
UConn heads to Cincinnati to take on the Bearcats on Saturday November 10th at 3:30 PM. The game will be on ESPNU.
